How could I possibly forget about this?

I almost had forgotten about what I found lying around this week. When I walked outside on Wednesday I noticed a lot of flies.
But I never dreamed they would lead me to this.
This was lying by our front porch. I am so grateful he was dead.





Gave me the creeps to see Michael picking it up.

Last Week of School

Makayla at her award ceremony on the last day of school.


Some of Makayla's classmates.

Makayla with her wonderful 3rd grade teacher giving her a gift for helping her to learn so much this year.

Michael's graduation from high school.

Can you see the excitement of being finished with high school?

I'm so excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Something is happening tomorrow that I have been waiting on for almost eight years. The dad of my kids and I divorced in July 2001. He filed for divorce only 10 days after our youngest daughter Makayla turned a year old. After the divorce his Mom passed away that October. That was the last time I saw his brother, sister, and their families, and the last time my kids saw their Aunts, Uncles, and cousins. Other than once or twice our two older kids saw them because of a death in their family. Other than that their Dad hasn't bothered to take them to see his family, and I wasn't welcome to take them.
Well my exes brother's father-in-law passed away in June 2006 and I sent them a sympathy card. Then in December 2007 when my youngest brother passed away they sent me a sympathy card. I cried and cried because I felt as all was well again. The kids didn't ask for the divorce.
As far as his sister, I have found her on myspace and emailed her and told her whatever I had done that I was sorry. But I have never heard back from her. But my conscience is clear.
I have three sister-in-laws on my side of the family that has divorced three of my brothers but their still my sister-in-laws and are still referred to by my kids as Aunt.
Anyways I've said all that to say this. A couple of weeks ago I received an invitation in the mail from my ex-husbands nephews wife for his niece's baby shower.
I am so excited. Megan my oldest daughter also received an invitation, so both my girls are going. This will be the first time Makayla had seen any of them since she was a year old so to her it's like meeting strangers. She's going to finally be able to meet her Aunt and cousins.
It's been eight years so I just pray I'm not so nervous. I probably won't be able to sleep tonight because I have been praying for so long for a way for my kids to see family that they have.

20 Of My Favorite Things

I got this idea from:


http://mom2howells.blogspot.com/2009/06/20-of-my-favorite-things.html



1.Color: blue


2.Dessert: Anything chocolate


3.Smell: Candle smell: vanilla, cucumber melon, lime coconut, fresh cut grass, rainstorm


4.Flower: This is hard because I love all flowers. Must be roses because I'm always wanting more of them in the yard.


5.Animal: none really, but if we had the adequate yard it would be a yellow lab, or a golden retriever.


6.Month: June


7.Beverage: Finally cut back on diet coke, so it would have to be water.


8.Shoes: I'd rather go bare foot but flip flops are my first choice


9.Snack: ice cream, or popcorn with m&m's in it


10.Song: . Some of my favorites are playing on my blog. lol Now that I took the time to figure out how to put them on here. But most any contemporary christian.


11.Book: Not so much favorite books, but favorite writers: Nicholas Sparks, Debbie Macomber, Stormie Omartian, Elizabeth George, Anne Graham Lotz, etc.


12.Fruit: watermelon


13.Hair style: shoulder length or longer, but I'm tired of it. Not sure what will be next.


14.Clothing: Anything comfortable, usually Capri's and a t-shirt


15.Store: Cato's for clothes.


16.Hobby: Reading, gardening, blogging, genealogy, crocheting, and doing fun stuff with the kids.


17.Season: Spring


18.Thing to collect: I use to collect angels, but haven't gotten a new one in a while. I'm getting interested in cake decorating, if you consider that a collection. Building my supplies. Thanks to my mother-in-law, she gave me all of hers.


19.Movies: All that was made based on books by Nicholas Sparks, American President, any with Julia Roberts in them, Sweet Home Alabama, Failure To Launch, basically chick flicks.


20.Restaurants: Mostly fast food places: Chick-fil-a, Burger King, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC.

45 Lessons Life Taught

I recieved this in an e-mail, and thought it was worth passing on.


Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio
"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written.
" My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:


1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years,will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Happy Graduation Michael !!!!!!!!!!!

It's hard to believe my son Michael is graduating from High School today. Thirteen years ago as he started Kindergarten he cried everyday for the first week. At that time we were calling him Anthony because he is a JR. and we didn't want any confusion. Well after a week of Kindergarten his teacher asked me what was she to call him. He's signing his papers Michael. So we all agreed he would then be called Michael. Except for his Grandma, she still calls him Anthony, she just can't get in the habit of calling him Michael. He was a very smart child even back then. When asked to recite the alphabet he asked his teacher frontwards or backwards. But somehow over the years he has lost that confidence of thinking he's still that smart. They say the more brain smart you are the less common sense you have. So he must be a genius. At this new step in his life he has often pondered what his future holds. Whether to join the Air Force. Go to college, not really knowing what he would major in, or either Culinary School. Or just go to work and try to make the best of it with the way the economy is. But the one thing I keep telling him, is to pray about it. Because if he's not in the will of God he's going to be a very miserable young man. Only God knows the future for him, and the rest of us. So no matter what others tell you to do or suggest for you to do. You need to pray and listen to what God tells you to do. "A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump: a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree." Proverbs 11:28 If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by His purpose and for His purpose. Many times he thought I didn't believe in him. When I would fuss at him about failing grades. But it wasn't that I didn't believe in him, it was because I knew he had it in him to be great, if only he would. To him it was fussing, but maybe to any other teen-age boy it would have been that too. But Michael, even though I probably haven't ever said it near enough, I am so very very proud of you. Wherever life takes you, there's going to be rough times. But always remember your creator and that he said I will never leave you nor forsake you.




We love you Michael, and God does too.

My week so far

Michael at his Chorus Concert last Thursday. It's hard to take good pictures because it is so bright on the stage.
Makayla and her best friend at the accelerated reader carnival yesterday.

And of course can't leave out recent pics of Emily. Can you believe she will be 3 months old Tuesday?

So precious!!!!!!!!

Oops sorry I forgot that we had my step-son's birthday last Saturday. Sorry it's been a busy week.